Just before the Patriots took the field Sunday night, Atlantic League executive director Joe Klein declared that it would be their final regular season game by wiping out plans to have the team visit the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs later this week.

The Bridgeport Bluefish hold a 1 1/2-game lead on the Blue Crabs for a wild card playoff berth but the Blue Crabs have rainouts to make up. They were supposed to play the Camden Riversharks in a doubleheader Monday, the Patriots in a doubleheader Tuesday and the Patriots again Wednesday.

Four wins would have clinched the berth for the Blue Crabs. Two losses would have clinched the berth for the Bluefish.

Instead the Blue Crabs will visit the Bluefish on Tuesday night in a one-game ‘tiebreaker’ to determine who will face the Long Island Ducks in the Liberty Division Championship Series.

Here is what Klein said in a phone interview:

“There are too many games to make up and not enough time. It’s important to be ready to go for the playoffs on Wednesday and there was a heavy possibility that wasn’t going to happen.”

“This is probably not the perfect solution, but, for me, it is the best solution. No matter what decision was made, it was reliant upon both clubs agreeing to it. When I heard Willie wasn’t comfortable with having (his fate) decided by Somerset and Camden that led me to think head-to-head was the best way to go.”

“Some leagues have gone strictly based on winning percentage, and maybe that’s the best way. But I managed in the minor-leagues for 10 years and I know that head-to-head is what I would have wanted.”

“The only situation I can compare it to is when (Hurricane Floyd) hit Somerset in 1999 and we had to move (Championship Series) games to Bridgeport.”

“We talked about it a lot today and ultimately the decision was left to me when I got to hear both sides.”